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Asbury Park Middle School students attended an assembly dedicated to the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 15, where they paid tribute to another civil rights leader, Nelson Mandela, according to an announcement from seventh grade teacher David Wronko.

The date marks what would have been King’s 85th birthday.

King’s leadership during the Civil Rights Movement and his ongoing promotion of equality, peace, and an end to violence was highly stressed at the assembly, organized by Mrs. Joanne Major-Phillips, a special education teacher in the district.

In addition to the legacy of King, Phillips’ assembly also paid recognition to anti-aparthied activist and former president of South Africa Nelson “Madiba” Mandela. During the assembly, it was made clear to the students that Mandela, who passed away on Dec. 5 of last year, was a person who stood for many of the same principles as King.

Guest speaker Don Covin, a local educator and member of the Long Branch Housing Authority, echoed King’s message of equal rights, peace, and non-violence in a speech to the room of highly attentive students.

Student Annarah Harris served as the assembly’s mistress of ceremonies. Mikayla Serrano performed James Weldon Johnson’s “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and the freedom song “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around,” which was commonly sung by participants in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. Veronica Vasquez read a tribute to Mandela.

[Photo at top taken by Angel Kames. Pictured, from left to right, are Covin, Vasquez, Tom Terry, Serrano, Vice Principal Thea Jackson and Phillips.]

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